Drinking device

ABSTRACT

A drinking device including a body having an open end and for containing a liquid, and a lid for sealingly closing the open end of the body. The lid has an outlet incorporating a first one-way valve for dispensing liquid from the body upon the application of suction at the outlet and an inlet incorporating a second one-way valve for air intake to automatically balance the internal pressure within the body with external pressure outside the body while liquid is being dispensed. The first valve includes a chamber having a resiliently deformable wall including a hole in communication with the outlet. The hole is normally closed by being pressed against an internal surface of the body by the resilience of the wall and is openable upon the application of suction.

The present invention relates to a drinking device, and particularly,but not exclusively, to a trainer cup for infants, which is leak-proof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Leak-proof drinking devices are, of course, generally known,particularly for infants, which usually have a body and a lid closingthe body. In one of the known constructions, for example as disclosed inUK Patent No. 2266045, the lid has an outlet for dispensing liquid andan air inlet for pressure balance, both of which are provided withrespective one-way valves to protect against leakage.

Liquid is to be extracted from inside the body through suction appliedto the outlet. While the valve of the outlet should be closed reasonablytightly normally, it has to be opened relatively easily to facilitatedrinking. None of the known devices is found to be satisfactory in thisregard.

The invention seeks to mitigate or at least alleviate such a problem byproviding an improved drinking device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided a drinking devicecomprising a body having an open upper end and for containing a liquid,a lid for sealingly closing the upper end of the body, the lid having anoutlet incorporating a first one-way valve for dispensing the liquidfrom the body upon the application of suction at the outlet, and aninlet incorporating a second one-way valve for air intake toautomatically balance the internal pressure of the closed body with theexternal pressure while the liquid is being dispensed, wherein the firstvalve comprises a chamber having a resiliently deformable wall includinga hole in communication with the outlet, which hole is normally closedby being pressed against an internal surface of the drinking device byvirtue of the resilience of the wall and is openable upon theapplication of said suction.

It is preferred that the inlet is provided at the lid.

Preferably, the upper end of the body has a rim for engagement with thelid, and the internal surface against which the hole of the chamber wallis normally pressed is provided by an inner surface of the body at aposition slightly below the rim.

More preferably, the lid is arranged to engage externally around the rimof the body for closing the body upper end.

In a slightly different construction, the lid includes a depending wallproviding the internal surface against which the hole of the chamberwall is normally pressed.

It is preferred that the hole of the chamber wall has a tubular rimprotruding outwards for engaging the internal surface of the drinkingdevice.

In a preferred embodiment, the chamber is provided by a resilientlydeformable sleeve, and the lid includes a member which extends downwardsfrom the outlet and around which the sleeve is disposed for support toform the chamber, the member incorporating a co-extending internal ductconnecting the outlet to the interior of the chamber.

More preferably, the member has an upper end along which the ductextends and a lower end supporting the sleeve and forming a voiddirectly behind the hole of the chamber wall to provide excessive roomfor that part of the chamber wall to bend inwards for opening the hole.

Further more preferably, the sleeve has a rectangular box-like bodyhaving an open upper side which is stretched from below over the lowerend of the member to form the chamber.

It is preferred that the lid has a centre hole acting as the inlet, andthe second valve is of a slit valve located at the centre hole.

Advantageously, the first and second valves are connected integrally toopposite ends of a flexible member, thereby together forming a one-pieceseal.

The aforesaid drinking device may be a trainer cup for infants, whereinthe lid includes an upstanding spout having an apex providing theoutlet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of exampleonly, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a drinking device inaccordance with the invention, the device having a body and a lidincorporating a seal;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the drinking device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the lid of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of a part of the lid portion of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the seal of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the seal of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an end view of the seal of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of an upper portion of thedrinking device of FIG. 1, with the seal in a closed condition;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view corresponding to FIG. 8, showingthe seal in an open condition; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of an upper portion of a slightlydifferent embodiment of a drinking device in accordance with theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring initially to FIGS. 1 to 9 of the drawings, there is shown adrinking device embodying the invention, which is in the form of atrainer cup 10 for infants and comprises a plastic body 100 forcontaining liquid and a plastic lid 200. The cup body 100 includes anopen upper end 110 having a circular rim 112, over which the lid 200 ispressed for sealingly closing the cup end 110. The lid 200 has acircular body 210 which comprises a depending rim 212 for externallyengaging the cup rim 112, an air inlet hole 214 at the centre, and anupstanding spout 220 on one side.

The spout 220 has an apex 222 with an outlet hole 224 and includes aninternal integral member or bar 230 extending, downwards from the apex222, at a position close to the lid rim 212. The bar 230 has an upperend (half) 232 which has a hollow rectangular cross-section and includesa co-extending partition 234. The partition 234 has a part-circularcross-section and defines a duct 236 extending downwards from the outlet224 above and on the outer side of the bar 230 facing the lid rim 212.The partition 234 continues onto a lower end (half) 238 of the bar 230,where it is exposed to form an empty space or void 239 on the outer sideof the bar 230.

The lid 200 incorporates a resiliently deformable seal 300 made ofsilicone rubber. The seal 300 includes a one-way slit valve 310 andanother one-way valve including a sleeve 320, which are connectedintegrally to opposite ends of a tape 330, thereby together forming aone-piece structure.

The slit valve 310 has a grommet-like body 312 press-fitted from belowthrough the inlet 214 of the lid 200 and includes a hemispherical valvemember 314 at the lower end of the body 312. The valve member 314includes a split 316 that is normally-closed (FIG. 8). The valve member314 protrudes from the underside of the lid 200 such that the slit 316will open (FIG. 9) when the pressure inside the closed cup 100 drops.

The sleeve 320 has a rectangular box-like sleeve body 322 having an openupper side 324, which is stretched from below over the lower end 238 ofthe bar 230 of the lid 200. The upper rim of the sleeve body 322 reachesover the lowermost end of the upper end 232 of the bar 230, therebyforming a chamber 323 enclosing the lower bar end 238.

Outer wall 326 of the sleeve body 322 or chamber 323 includes a hole 328which has a tubular rim 329 protruding outwards. The hole 328 ispositioned directly in front of the void 239 in the bar 230 such thatthere is excessive room, as provided by the void 239, for the part ofthe chamber wall 326 including the rim 329 to bend inwards.

The spout outlet 224 is in communication with the sleeve hole 328 viathe duct 236 and the void 239, whereby a through path X is formed. Thebar 230 is arranged such that when the lid 200 is in place, the rim 329of the sleeve hole 328 is pressed against the inner surface of the cupbody 100 at a position slightly below the rim 112, whereby the hole 328is normally closed and hence the path X blocked (FIG. 8).

When the trainer cup 10 containing water (for example) is in use at aninverted position, the infant sucks at the spout 220 and thus creates asuction or pressure drop within the chamber 323. The pressure dropcauses the wall 326 of the sleeve body 322 to bend inwards, therebymoving the rim 329 away from the aforesaid inner surface of the cup body100 and thus resulting in opening or unblocking of the hole 328 (FIG.9). Water can simultaneously flow out along the path X and be dispensedat the spout 220 for as long as the infant is sucking, via the sleeve320 acting as a one-way valve.

The loss of water creates a pressure drop within the cup 10, which iscompensated in terms of volume by air drawn in through the slit valve310, which automatically opens for air intake to balance the internalpressure of the cup 10 with the external pressure, as required, forwater dispensing. When the infant stops drinking, the hole 328 isinstantly re-closed by virtue of the resilience of the chamber wall 326.

By reason of the construction of the one-way dispensing valve with thesleeve 320, the subject drinking device 10 enables users to drinkeasily, while preventing liquid leakage when not in use.

Reference is now made to FIG. 10, which shows a slightly different cup10A embodying the invention, with equivalent parts designated by thesame reference numerals suffixed by a letter “A”. Compared with theprevious cup 10, the only major difference of this cup 10A lies in thelid 200A having an integral wall 216 which extends downwards from thelid body 210A at a position close to the bar 230A. The wall 216 providesan inner surface for pressing by the rim 329A and closing the hole 328Aof the chamber wall 326A, as an alternative to the inner surface of thepreviously described cup body 100. With this construction, the spout220A will remain closed even when the lid 220A is removed from the cupbody 100A.

In general, it is envisaged that the air inlet (with slit valve) may beprovided on the cup body instead of the lid, for example on the shoulderof the cup body in the case where the cup body has an open end of areduced size.

The invention has been given by way of example only, and various othermodifications of and/or alterations to the described embodiments may bemade by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope ofthe invention as specified in the appended claims.

1. A drinking device comprising: a body having an open end and forcontaining a liquid, and a lid for sealingly closing the open end of thebody, said lid having an outlet incorporating a first one-way valve fordispensing a liquid from the body through the outlet, upon applicationof suction to the outlet, and an inlet incorporating a second one-wayvalve for air intake to automatically balance internal pressure withinthe body, sealed with the lid, with external pressure outside the bodywhile a liquid is being dispensed through the outlet, wherein the firstone-way valve comprises a chamber having a resiliently deformable wallincluding a hole in communication with the outlet and a resilientlydeformable sleeve, and the lid includes a member extending from theoutlet within the sleeve and forming the chamber, the member includingan internal duct connecting the outlet to the chamber, and, when thebody is sealed with the lid, the first one-way valve is normally closedby pressing of the resiliently deformable wall against an internalsurface of the body by resilience of the resiliently deformable wall andthe first one-way valve is opened upon application of suction to theoutlet.
 2. The drinking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inletis located in the lid.
 3. The drinking device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the open end of the body has a rim for engagement with the lid.4. The drinking device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the lid externallyengages the rim of the body for sealing the open end of the body.
 5. Thedrinking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chamber wall has aprotruding tubular rim surrounding the hole for engaging the surface ofthe wall depending from the lid of the body for closing the hole.
 6. Thedrinking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chamber wall has aprotruding tubular rim surrounding the hole for engaging the internalsurface of the body for closing the hole.
 7. The drinking device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the chamber includes a resilientlydeformable sleeve, and the lid includes a member extending from theoutlet within the sleeve and forming the chamber, the member includingan internal duct connecting the outlet to the chamber.
 8. The drinkingdevice as claimed in claim 7 1, wherein the member has a first end alongwhich the duct extends and a second end supporting the sleeve andincluding a void directly opposite the hole receiving part of theresiliently deformable wall upon opening of the first one-way valve. 9.The drinking device as claimed in claim 7 1, wherein the sleeve has arectangular box-like body having an open side receiving the member. 10.The drinking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inlet includes ahole in the lid, and the second one-way valve is a slit valve located inthe hole in the lid.
 11. The drinking device as claimed in claim 1,including a flexible member wherein the first and second one-way valvesare integral to and located at opposite ends of the flexible member. 12.The drinking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outlet includesan upstanding spout in the lid.
 13. A drinking device comprising: a bodyhaving an open end and for containing a liquid, and a lid for sealinglyclosing the open end of the body, said lid having an outletincorporating a first one-way valve for dispensing a liquid from thebody through the outlet in a direction generally transverse to the lid,upon application of suction to the outlet, an inlet incorporating asecond one-way valve for air intake to automatically balance internalpressure within the body, sealed with the lid, with external pressureoutside the body while a liquid is being dispensed through the outlet,and a depending wall extending into the body when the body is sealedwith the lid, wherein the first one-way valve comprises a chamber havinga resiliently deformable wall including a hole in communication with theoutlet, the first one-way valve being normally closed by pressing of theresiliently deformable wall against the depending wall depending fromthe lid, by resilience of the resiliently deformable wall, and the firstone-way valve being opened by moving in a direction generally transverseto the outlet, upon application of suction to the outlet.
 14. Thedrinking device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the inlet is located inthe lid.
 15. The drinking device as claimed in claim 13, wherein theopen end of the body has a rim for engagement with the lid.
 16. Thedrinking device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the lid externallyengages the rim of the body for sealing the open end of the body. 17.The drinking device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the chamber includesa resiliently deformable sleeve, and the lid includes a member extendingfrom the outlet within the sleeve and forming the chamber, the memberincluding an internal duct connecting the outlet to the chamber.
 18. Thedrinking device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the member has a firstend along which the duct extends and a second end supporting the sleeveand including a void directly opposite the hole receiving part of theresiliently deformable wall upon opening of the hole.
 19. The drinkingdevice as claimed in claim 17, wherein the sleeve has a rectangularbox-like body having an open side receiving the member.
 20. The drinkingdevice as claimed in claim 13, wherein the inlet includes a hole in thelid, and the second valve is a one-way slit valve located in the hole inthe lid.
 21. The drinking device as claimed in claim 13, including aflexible member wherein the first and second one-way valves are integralto and located at opposite ends of the flexible member.